Agitating and classifying device.



J. W. FAIRFIELD.

A'GITATING AND OLASSIFYING DEVICE. AVPPLIOATION FILED M122, 1911.

1,010,244. Patented Ndv.28,1911.

' 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

COLUMBIA PLANOG mum co., WASHINGTON, n. :4

J. W. FAIRFIELD.

AGITATING AND GLASSIFYING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED APILZZ, 1911.

Patented Nov. 28, 1911.

2 SHEETB-BHEBT 2.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAFH 60., WASHINGTON, D c

JASON FAIRFIELD, OF GOLDFIELD, NEVADA.

v AGITATING AND CLASSIFYING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters'Iatent.

Patented Nov. 28, 1911.

Application filed. April 22, 1911. Serial No. 622,784.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J ASON W. FAIRFIELD, a citizen of the United States,residing at Goldfield, in the county of Esmeralda and State of Nevada,have invented new and useful Improvements in Agitating and ClassifyingDevices, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to ore treating machinery, and particularly toclassifiers and agitators.

The object of the present invention is to provide a simple, eflicientand continuous running apparatus for the classification of pulp; and toprovidean apparatus in which tests may be made for treatment by cyanidand whereby pulp may be agitated by mechanical and pneumatic orhydraulic instrumentalities.

The invention consists of the parts and the construction and combinationof parts, as hereinafter more fully described and claimed, havingreference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a verticalsection through the machine. Fig. 2 is a plan View of the same.

In the present embodiment of my inven-- tion, 2 represents a tank ofsuitable proportions provided with a false bottom 3, which is providedthroughout its upper surface with a number of relatively smallperforamay be projected from a chamber 5 below the bottom 3. The chamber5 is formed beneath the perforated bottom 3 by attaching to the undersurface of the latter a closure 6, having a flange 7 upon which theperforated false bottom 3 may be placed and upon which latter the shellor tank 2 is connected by suitable means, as bolts 8.

The chamber forming closure 6 may be provided with suitable pedestals orlegs 9 whereby the device is elevated a convenient height above asupport. Water may be ade mitted to the chamber 5 through a supply pipe10 and, when desired, air'maybe admitted through one or more pipes 11attached to the closure 6. I

The present machine is adapted particularly for the classification ofmineral or other pulp which may be fed into the tank 2 through asuitable hopper 12 projecting above the tank and secured to or formedwith a turn-table 13 of area approximately equal to the interior of thetank 2. Removably connected to the turn-table 13 are a number ofagitator rods 14 which projectdownwardly from the under side of theturn-table into close juxtaposition with the upper surface of the falsebottom 3.

When the pulp fed into the hopper 12 reaches a certain level in the tank2, the slimes and fluid portion of the pulp may be discharged through adischarge opening 15 attached to one side of the tank. During thefeeding of the pulp the coarser material will collect adjacent thebottom 3 of the tank and the quantity of coarse particles in the pulpsettling toward the bottom 3 may be rendered visible through a sightglass 16in one side of'the tank.

As pulp is being fed through the hopper 12 into the tank, the turn-table13, carrying the agitator rods 14:, may be revolved by means of a shaftupon which the hopper and turn-table are mounted by a hub 18. Power istransmitted to the shaft 17 by any suitable means, such, for instance,as a bevel gear 19 deriving power from a shaft 20.

A stationary sleeve 21 is attached to the closure 6 at the bottom of thetank and projects upwardly around the shaft 17 so-as to support itsupper end and also prevent the escape of pulp around the bearings of themachine.

During the feeding of pulp into the tank 2 the turntable 13, beingrevolved, moves tions 4. through'which fluid under pressure ltheagitators 15 through the pulp and prevents the coarser materials fromsettling upon the bottom 3. This prevention ofsettling is furtherenhanced by applying water or a solution under pressure in the chamber.5 below the false bottom 3 so that the fluid or water will be projectedin comparatively close fine jets upwardly into the agitated mass orpulp. By this means the pulp is constantly in movement and the fluid andslimes in the pulp discharged continuously at the opening 15 while thecoarser material of the pulp is drained from the tank 2 at a drain 22which is closable by means of a gate 23.

The machine is adapted with equal facility to the treatment and test ofcertain ores when it is desired to accurately determine the natureof,'and the treatment necessary to best recover by cyaniding the valuesfrom the pulp. When the apparatus is to be used as a testing machine thewater supply through the conduit 10 is cut off and pulp fed into thetank 2 while a volume of air is simultaneously forced into the chamber 5through the pipe 11, the pressure of the air in the chamber beingsufficient to constantly rise through the perforations 4: and therebysupply a necessary quantity of oxygen to the pulp being treated in thetank 2.

It is well-known that in the cyanid process of recovering gold thepresence of oxygen is necessary and greatly beneficial. By the presentmeans a given quantity of pulp which has been discharged into the tank 2may be thoroughly subjected to air agitation by the numerous andcomparatively close jets of air rising through the perforated bottom 3.When the apparatus is employed in cyanid testing, preferably there islaid over the upper surface of the bottom 3 a suitable filtering medium,such as canvas, burlap, matting or other appropriate material 24.

After the quantity of pulp in the tank 2 has been subjected to agitationby the air rising through the perforated bottom 3 and filtering medium24, the air supply is cut off and a vacuum created in the chamber 5 by asuitable connection 25 with some apparatus capable of producing avacuum. Thereby the solution in the tank 2 is withdrawn through thefiltering medium 24 and the perforated bottom 3 into the chamber 5, fromwhich it will pass through the conductor 25 to a receptacle, not shown,where it can be tested. The filtering medium 2 f, upon which are solidscontained in the pulp subjected to the test, may be lifted from the tankand the solid tested to vdetermine its value.

When the apparatus is used as a cyanid testing device the rods 15 arelifted. sufficiently to permit the insertion of the filtering mattress24 by means of a screw or other device 26 adjustable in a bearing 27attached to the closure 6. By turning the screw so as to advance it, theshaft 17 is lifted, thus carrying upwardly the turntable 13 andincreasing thedistance between the lower ends'of the agitating rods 15and the bottom 3 to permit the insertion of the mattress 24c- "When theshaft 17 is so adjusted one of the beveled gears 19, which is attachedto the shaft, may be temporarily unof the shaft. When this adjustmenthas Y been obtained, the gear carried on the shaft 17 meshing with itscomplementary gear,

is again locked to the shaft by. means of the set-screw 28, or othermeans.

It will thus be seen that by the present machine ore or pulp may becontinuously fed into the tank 2 and kept in an active state by therotation of the turn-table 13 carrying the agitating pins 14: and alsoby reason of the numerous jets of fluid projected into the mass throughthe perforated plate 3. If desired, instead of projecting water in theform of sprays into the pulp mass the mass can be subjected to agitationby forcing air into the chamber 5 and through the perforations 4 in theplate 3; the essential purpose and oflice of the perforated bottom 3being to rovide means whereby a large area is enlivened by theprojection of the sprays of water or air.

Having thus described my invention what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent, is

1. An ore treating apparatus including a tank, a closure for the lowerportion of the tank having a depressed body with a central hubsupporting an agitator, a perforated plate interposed upon the closure,means for securing the element-s in position, adischarge passageextending from the plate through the chamber formed above the closurewhereby the tank can be cleared of its contents, means for mechanicallyagitating pulp in the tank, a connection with the closure whereby fluidunder pressure may be delivered to said chamber from beneath the plate,and a filter medium upon the plate throu h which the fluid rises.

2. in ore treating apparatus including a tank, a closure for the lowerportion of the tank having a depressed body with a central hubsupporting an agitator, a perforated plate interposed upon the closure,means for securing the elements in position, a discharge passageextending from the plate through the chamber formed above the closurewhereby the tank can be cleared of its contents, means for mechanicallyagitating pulp in the tank, a connection with the closure whereby fluidunder pressure may be delivered to said chamber from beneath the plate,a filter medium upon the plate through which the fluid rises, and avacuum and drain connection for exhausting the fluid from the chamber.locked therefrom to permit the adjustment In testimony whereof I havehereunto set witnesses; I

JASON W. FAIRFIELD.

Witnesses: 1

A. D. ARMSTRONG, THOS. V. CONNOR.

Copies of this patent ma; be obtained for-five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C.

